Removable free sump for storage tank bottoms



June 12, 1951 J. E. HOBSON 2,555,497

REMOVABLE FREE SUMP FOR STORAGE TANK BOTTOMS Filed April 21, 1949 I6 ,2238 Fi .3.

/ ,8 44 /2 A Inventor -P rh t Y E Jerry Hobson 36 20 26' 42 3O 28 1 By I. I4 34. %2'

Patented June 12, 1951 OFFICE REMOVABLE FREE SU FQR STORAGE TANK Bo'rToMs 7 Jerry E; Hobson, Odessa,- Tex.

Application April 21, 1M9, Serial No. 88,768 3iClaim's. (01. 220-18) This invention relates to a removable sump for use in bottoms, either flat or conical, of storage tanks of either bolted, welded or riveted construction.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sump which is removably retained on the bottom of a storage tank spaced from the grade thus obviating the necessity, when replacing the sump, of removing parts of the bottom of the tank and digging out the dirt around the sump.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sump having an attaching flange which is secured to the inner instead of outer surface of the bottom wall permitting ready removal and reinsertion of a replacement sump.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a tank; a sump having an upper annular flange, means for removably securing said flange to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the tank, and retainer means spaced from said sump for supporting the bottom Wall whereby said sump can be removed and replaced.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the sump attached to a tank, parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the sump looking from the line 2--2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at is] is a storage tank of conventional construction having a bottom wall l2. Although a conical bottom wall is shown, it will be understood that the sump of the instant invention may be used in connection with a straight bottom as well.

The sump I4 is of the usual cylindrical construction and includes an annular attaching flange IE5 at its upper end. This flange overlies and abuts the inner surface of the tank bottom wall 12 and is attached thereto in the following novel manner. Bolts I8 having heads 20 integral therewith extend through the wall I2 and flange l6 around the periphery of the flange. Nuts 22 2 are received on the threaded end 26 of the bolts and the heads 20 are secured against rotation by a channel member 26 underlying the heads, so that the nuts may be easily screwed on and oil the bolts.

A plurality of transversely extending channel bars 28 are provided adjacent each bolt and underlying the bottom wall of the tank which are supported upon a vertically extending retainer plate 39 abutting the grade 32. The retainer plate is spaced from the wall of the sump to provide a hole 34 into which the sump extends.

To prevent the bolts 18 from dropping into the hole 34 when the nuts 22 are removed, a substantially L-shaped bar 36 is provided beneath the bolt heads 20, the plate having a flange 38 extending between the channel bar 28 and the bottom wall [2. A plurality of bolts 49 secure the channel bar 28 to the bottom wall, the bolts having heads 62 received in the channel bar between the legs thereof and nuts 44 received on the free ends of said bolts. Thus it will be seen that the bar 36 is permanently held in position beneath the bolts 20.

In use, to replace a sump all the operator need do is to remove the nuts 22 from the bolts 18 which are non-rotatably retained in position by the channel member 26 and the bar 36. The old sump is withdrawn and a new one replaced by merely positioning the apertures in the attaching flange about the bolts l8 and then replacing the removed nuts 22.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it I is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a tank; a sump having an upper annular flange, means for removably securing said flange to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the tank, and retainer means spaced from said sump for supporting the bottom wall whereby said sump can be removed and replaced, said firstnamed means including headed bolts extending through the bottom wall of said flange, nuts received on the free ends of said bolts, channel members to hold the bolts against rotation as the nuts are screwed on and off, and a retainer strip beneath said channel members preventing said bolts from falling through after the nuts have been removed, said retainer means including a vertically extending plate spaced from the sump, a channel bar supported on said plate and means for securing said channel bar to the bottom wall of the tank.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said retainer strip includes a flange received between said channel bar and the bottom wall of the tank and said securing means includes headed bolts extending through said channel bar, and the bottom wall, and nuts received on said bolts.

3. In a tank; a sump having an upper annular flange, means for removably securing said flange to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the tank, and retainer means spaced from said sump REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 626,567 Robinson June 6, 1899 670,977 Watson Apr. 2, 1901 1,548,400 Walker Aug. 4, 1925 1,557,523 Hahn Oct. 13, 1925 2,242,503 Baule May 20, 1941 

